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Amanda Bynes not convicted in bong-throwing case

by Elizabeth Durand | Yahoo! Celebrity

(Yahoo!) - Oh what a difference therapy can make — at least, if you're Amanda Bynes. Seven months after the former Nickelodeon actress was arrested for allegedly smoking pot at The Biltmore in New York City and then throwing the bong out the window when police arrived, the 27-year-old submitted a coherent and responsible statement (via her lawyer) to avoid going to jail.

Though Amanda claimed it had been a flower vase that she chucked from the high-rise in the May 2013 incident, she was still charged with marijuana possession, evidence tampering, and reckless endangerment. But rather than getting locked up, she struck a deal with the court.

"I understand that after a period of six months has expired, if I have complied with the conditions set forth below, the charges will be dismissed," she stated in an affidavit dated Dec. 19.

While Bynes did not appear in court herself on Friday, her lawyer, Gerald Shargel, insisted his client is heading toward the straight-and-narrow. "This is an important step in her rehabilitation" he noted before adding, "I am optimistic about her future and pleased with the result."

So now that she's not hurling glassware out of windows, what is Amanda up to?

It seems she's going back to school. The aspiring fashion designer has started planning for her future by enrolling at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising for the winter quarter, which began on Thursday. This wasn't a total shock, since she was seen touring the campus with her parents back in December. As of now, it's unclear if she actually showed up for her first day of classes — but still, it's a start.

After all, 2013 was a rough one in Amanda-land. In addition to the bong-tossing incident, the selfie-loving star declared that she had an eating disorder, got kicked out of spin class, was put on an involuntary psychiatric hold after reportedly setting a fire to a random neighbor's driveway, and sent a slew of angry — and weirdly sexual — tweets. (We'll never forget when she asked Drake to "Murder my [lady parts]," no matter how much we try.)

We'll have to wait and see what happens, but for now, we're going to take her court victory, continued therapy, and interest in her education as positive signs that 2014 will be a good year for Bynes.